US20020020792A1

US20020020792A1 - Apparatus for positioning screen of monitor

Info

Publication number: US20020020792A1
Application number: US09/925,683
Authority: US
Inventors: Gang Lee
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2000-08-10
Filing date: 2001-08-10
Publication date: 2002-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-10
Also published as: US6601810B2; KR20020012988A

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for positioning the screen of a monitor that can not only function as a monitor supporter but also position the screen in vertical and horizontal directions to conform to the viewing angle of the screen. The apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor according to the invention comprises a swiveling unit including a lower bracket provided on an upper end portion of a monitor supporting column for adjusting a turning angle of the screen, and a swiveling shaft axially coupled with the lower bracket for turning around, and a tilting unit including a pair of tilting angle adjusting plates fixed on an upper end portion of the swiveling shaft for tilting the screen, a tilting shaft inserted between the tilting angle adjusting plates for moving the screen in a vertical direction, and upper brackets locked with a rear surface of the monitor for housing both ends of the tilting shaft and movable in a vertical direction centering around the tilting shaft.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for positioning a screen of a monitor, and in particular, to an apparatus for positioning a screen of a monitor that can not only function as a support for the monitor, but also adjust the screen of the monitor upward, downward, to the left and right directions to conform to viewing angle. The present invention particularly relates to an apparatus for positioning the screen of a light-weight monitor, e.g., of an LCD monitor.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional apparatus for positioning a screen of a monitor.

Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional apparatus for positioning the screen of the monitor comprises a lower

part supporting plate

11 for supporting a plurality of constitutional elements; a rotating body fixing plate 12 fixed onto the lower part supporting plate 11 and having a shape that allows rotation of a monitor; a swiveling shaft 13 installed to be rotatable in horizontal directions at a central aperture of the rotating body fixing plate 12; a supporting column 14 fixed onto the swiveling shaft 13; a pair of first brackets fixed on an upper end of the supporting column 14; a tilting shaft 16 rotatably inserted to the first bracket 15; a second bracket 17 fixed on the tilting shaft 16 for rotating around the first bracket 15; and a monitor fixing plate 18 fixed on the second bracket 17 and a rear surface of the monitor.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of A-A′ in FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the

swiveling shaft

13 is inserted to the rotating body fixing plate 12. An end portion of the swiveling shaft 13 houses a nut 21. A sliding washer 23 is inserted between the rotating body fixing plate 12 and the nut 21, so that the swiveling shaft 13 can rotate in horizontal directions around the rotating body fixing plate 12.

An

angle adjusting plate

22 having a rotating stopper groove 22 a on an external periphery thereof is provided on an upper side of the rotating body fixing plate 12, to which an end portion of the swiveling shaft 13 is inserted so as to limit rotation of the swiveling shaft 13.

According to the conventional apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor constructed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first bracket and the second bracket coupled with the supporting

column

14 and the monitor fixing plate 18 rotate in vertical direction by means of the tilting shaft 16. As a consequence, the screen tilts upward and downward. On the other hand, the monitor fixing plate 18 cannot tilt more than a predetermined angle due to a stopper 17 a provided on the second bracket 17.

The

swiveling shaft

13 is rotatably fixed onto the rotating body fixing plate 12 by means of the nut 21. The washer 23 is inserted between a head of the nut 21 and the rotating body fixing plate 12. The angle adjusting plate 22 is inserted between the rotating body fixing plate 12 and the swiveling shaft 13. The stopper groove 22 a is formed on a peripheral surface of the angle adjusting plate 22. Both ends of the stopper groove 22 a are adjacent to the rotating stopper 12 a formed on the rotating body fixing plate 12, so that the swiveling shaft 13 cannot rotate any further.

According to the conventional apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor described above, however, a user needs to position the screen by gripping the screen unit of the monitor. In that case, the tilting can be freely moved due to a short distance between the monitor and the tilting

shaft

16, while the monitor is not easily rotated in horizontal directions due to the far distance between the monitor and the swiveling shaft 13.

To be specific, by reference to FIG. 3, the monitor comprises a

screen unit

33 for displaying image, a supporting column 32 for supporting the screen unit, and a supporting plate 31 for supporting the supporting column 32.

To describe the operation based on the above construction, the monitor can be easily positioned in a vertical direction because of the horizontal distance H between the rotating axis (the

drawing reference numeral

16 in FIG. 1) and the screen unit 33. Meanwhile, since the vertical distance V between the swiveling shaft 13 and the screen unit 33 is as long as the supporting column 32, strong friction occurs on the sliding washer 23 and the screen unit is not easily rotated even if a great force is laid on the screen to rotate the screen when the axis is not exactly perpendicular.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for positioning the screen of a monitor that is capable of positioning a monitor in horizontal directions with a slight force.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for positioning the screen of a monitor having a compact structure that can be easily assembled.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided an apparatus for positioning the screen of a monitor by a user, comprising: a lower bracket provided on an upper end of a monitor supporting column for adjusting a turning angle of a screen; a swiveling unit axially locked with the lower bracket in vertical direction and having a swiveling shaft for rotatable movement; a pair of tilting angle adjusting plates fixed onto an upper end of the swiveling shaft for tilting the screen; a tilting shaft inserted between the tilting angle adjusting plates for moving the screen in a vertical direction; and a tilting unit locked with a rear surface of the monitor for housing both ends of the tilting shaft and including a pair of upper brackets movable in a vertical direction centering around the tilting shaft.

A pair of coil springs are inserted to left and right sides of the tilting shaft, which provide a restoring force so as to rotate the upper bracket upward under a support of the upper brackets and the tilting angle adjusting plates.

First holder grooves are formed on the upper brackets for supporting end portions of the coil springs, and second holder grooves are formed on the tilting angle adjusting plates for supporting internal end portions of the coil springs.

An angle adjusting plate having a turning angle limiting stopper groove on a peripheral surface thereof is provided on an upper portion of the lower bracket to determine limitation of the rotation of the swiveling shaft by being fixed onto the swiveling shaft, and the turning angle limiting stopper is formed on a bent line of the lower bracket so that the angle adjusting plate can be guided to the turning angle limiting stopper groove.

A tilting angle limiting stopper is provided on the other side of the upper bracket, which is fixed onto the screen unit, for determining limitation of a tilting angle of the monitor, and a tilting angle limiting stopper groove is formed on upper ends of the tilting angle adjusting plates for guiding the tilting angle limiting stopper.

Screw units are formed on both end portions of the tilting shaft so as to be locked with the washer and the nut by being inserted to the upper brackets and the tilting angle adjusting plates.

An upper protrusion of an oval shape is formed on an upper end portion of the swiveling shaft so as to be inserted to the tilting angle adjusting plates, and an upper portion protrusion inserting groove is formed on one tilting angle adjusting plate so that the tilting angle adjusting plates and the swiveling shaft can rotate together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0022]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor; [0023]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of A-A′ in FIG. 1; [0024]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a mechanism of the conventional apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor; [0025]
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor according to the present invention; [0026]
FIG. 5 is an analytic perspective view of the apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor according to the present invention; and [0027]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a monitor employing the apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor according to the present invention.[0028]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. [0029]
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor according to the present invention. [0030]
Referring to FIG. 4, the apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor according to the present invention comprises a [0031] lower bracket 41 locked with a supporting column of a monitor, and a pair of upper brackets 42 locked with the screen unit.
The apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor according to the present invention is characterized in that swiveling and tilting are not performed on different positions but on a single position, unlike the conventional apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor, so as to solve the conventional problems. [0032]
FIG. 5 is an analytic perspective view of the apparatus for positioning the screen of a monitor according to the present invention. [0033]
Referring to FIG. 5, the construction of the present invention mainly comprises a tilting section and a swiveling section. The tilting section comprises a pair of [0034] upper brackets 42 locked with the screen unit; a pair of tilting angle adjusting plates 43 for adjusting a tilting angle of the screen unit; and a tilting shaft 44 for tilting the screen unit by being inserted to the tilting angle adjusting plates 43 and the upper brackets 42.
The swiveling section comprises a [0035] lower bracket 41 connected to the supporting column, and a swiveling shaft 45 for rotating the screen unit in horizontal directions by being inserted into the lower bracket 41.
To be specific, one [0036] upper bracket 42 of the tilting section is locked with the screen unit by means of a locking member, and the other upper bracket 42 has a tilting shaft inserting hole 42 c so that the tilting shaft 44 can be inserted thereto. A tilting angle limiting stopper 42 a is provided on an upper side of the tilting shaft inserting hole 42 c, and an upper bracket bending unit 42 d is provided in a horizontally bent shape on a lower side of the upper brackets 42. First holder grooves 42 b are formed on the upper bracket bending unit 42 b so that an internal one end portion of the second coil spring 44 c can be laid thereon.
A horizontal tilting angle adjusting [0037] plate bending unit 43 e is provided on a lower side of the tilting angle adjusting plate 43 in a horizontally bent shape. An upper protrusion inserting groove 43 c is formed at the center of the horizontal tilting angle adjusting plate bending unit 43 e so that the swiveling shaft 45 can be inserted thereto. A vertical tilting angle adjusting plate bending unit 43 f is formed on one side of the center portion of the tilting angle adjusting plate 43. A second holder groove 43 d is formed on a lower end of the vertical tilting angle adjusting plate bending unit 43 f. Tilting shaft inserting holes 43 a are formed on upper sides of the tilting angle adjusting plates 43, and the tilting angle limiting stopper 42 a is inserted to an upper end of the tilting angle adjusting plate 43 so that the tilting angle limiting stopper groove 43 b can limit rotation of the tilting angle adjusting plates 43 in vertical direction.
A tilting [0038] shaft screw unit 44 a has a screw groove for inserting and fixing the tilting shaft screw to the tilting shaft inserting holes 42 c, 43 a of both end portions of the tilting shaft 44. A left and right spacing wall 44 f is provided to space two springs inserted to the center of the tilting shaft 44. First and second coil springs 44 b, 44 c are inserted centering around the left and right spacing wall 44 f. The tilting shaft 44 is fixed by the nut 44 e after being inserted to the tilting shaft inserting holes 42 c, 43 a. It is preferable to provide a third washer 44 d to firmly engage the nut 44 e.
Meanwhile, the tilting section comprises pairs of parts except the tilting [0039] shaft 44 in a symmetrical shape.
The following is a description of the assembling process and operation of the tilting section constructed above. The [0040] first coil spring 44 b and the second coil spring 44 c are positioned around an external periphery of the tilting shaft 44, and the tilting shaft 44 is inserted to the tilting shaft inserting holes 2 c, 43 a. In that process, the spring end portions of the outside of the first coil spring and the second coil spring 44 b, 44 c are inserted to the first holder groove 42 b, respectively, while the spring end portions of the inside thereof are inserted to the second holder groove 43 d formed on the vertical tilting angle adjusting plate bending unit 43 f.
Under the above construction, the [0041] first coil spring 44 b and the second coil spring 44 c perform a restoring force in a compressed state, and this restoring force functions to push the upper brackets 42 upward centering around the tilting shaft 44. A slight restoring force can lift the screen unit upward.
Meanwhile, if the [0042] upper brackets 42 and the tilting angle adjusting plates 43 are inserted centering around the tilting shaft 44, the tiling angle limiting stopper 42 a is precisely positioned at the external periphery of the tilting angle limiting stopper groove 43 b. Therefore, the tilting angle limiting stopper 42 a is guided by the tilting angle limiting stopper groove 43 b and not rotatable beyond the limit of a predetermined scope. As a consequence, the upper brackets 42 connected to the tilting angle limiting stopper cannot rotate beyond the limit determined by the tilting angle limiting stopper groove 43 b.
Examining the construction of the swiveling section, the swiveling section comprises a [0043] lower bracket 41 connected to the supporting column, and a swiveling shaft 45 inserted to the lower bracket 41 to turn around in horizontal direction.
The [0044] lower bracket 41 is bent to be perpendicular, and the bent lower portion is locked with the supporting column, while the upper portion is coupled with the swiveling shaft 45. For this operation, an upper surface of the lower bracket 41 has a hole 41 b, to which the swiveling shaft 45 is inserted. A turning angle limiting stopper 41 a is provided to set a rotational limit of the swiveling shaft 45 on a bent line of the lower bracket 41.
The swiveling [0045] shaft 45 comprises an upper oval protrusion 45 b protruded from an upper end portion thereof, and a screw groove 45 c to be fixed by the locking member such as a nut after being inserted to an axis inserting hole 41 b. Once after the screw groove 45 c is inserted to the lower bracket 41, a second washer 41 c and a nut 41 d are inserted thereto in order so as to fix the swiveling shaft 45. The second washer 41 c then performs a sliding function.
Meanwhile, a turning [0046] angle adjusting plate 46 having a turning angle limiting stopper groove 46 a is formed on an upper surface of the lower bracket 41, which is adjacent to the swiveling shaft 45, to limit turning angle of the swiveling shaft 45 in horizontal direction.
The following is a detailed description of an assembling process and operation of the swiveling section. An [0047] upper protrusion 45 b is inserted to an upper protrusion inserting groove 43 c at a lower end portion of the tilting angle adjusting plate 43. Since the upper protrusion 45 b is of an oval shape, the upper swiveling shaft 45 cannot relatively rotate with respect to the tilting angle adjusting plate 43.
Meanwhile, the turning [0048] angle adjusting plate 46 is firmly locked with the swiveling shaft 45 to operate together with the swiveling shaft 45. Here, the turning angle limiting stopper 41 a is guided within the scope of the turning angle limiting stopper groove 46 a. Since the turning angle limiting stopper groove 46 a for guiding the swiveling has a guiding scope of a predetermined angle, rotation of the swiveling shaft 45 is limited to be within the guiding scope.
Lubricant is coated on upper and lower surfaces of the [0049] first washer 45 a so that the swiveling shaft 45 can freely turn around without being affected by friction.
According to the present invention as described above, the swiveling [0050] shaft 45 is positioned on a portion adjacent to the screen unit, unlike the conventional art. Therefore, the user can position the screen with more convenience. The following is a description of such relationship made with reference to perspective view of a monitor employing the apparatus for positioning screen of the monitor.
The monitor shown in FIG. 6 comprises a [0051] screen unit 51 for displaying images, a screen positioning unit 52 for selecting a position easily viewable by the user by rotating position of the screen unit 51 in vertical and horizontal directions, a supporting column 53 locked with the screen positioning unit 52 for supporting the screen unit 51, and a supporting plate 54 locked with a lower surface of the supporting column for maintaining a horizontal level.
If the user wishes to position the screen as desired while using the monitor, the user applies a force on the [0052] screen unit 51 by gripping the same. From a mechanical perspective, in order to rotate position of the screen unit 51 in a vertical direction, the screen can be easily moved due to a short horizontal distance H between the tilting shaft 44 and the screen unit 51. Also, the vertical distance V between the swiveling shaft 45 and the screen unit 51 is notably shortened, unlike the conventional art, in order to rotate the screen unit 51 in a horizontal direction. Therefore, almost no friction occurs at a part contacting the swiveling shaft 45. Therefore, the user can easily adjust the viewing angle by moving the screen unit 51 with ease and convenience.
As described above, the apparatus for positioning screen of a monitor according to the present invention has advantages of enabling the user to easily position the screen by reducing the number of parts through positioning a tilting angle and a turning angle at the same location as well as reducing the unit cost of manufacturing the product. [0053]
The present invention has another advantage of reducing the force to be applied on the screen for rotation thereof by employing the coil springs having a steady restoring force because the force equivalent to the restoring force of the coil springs is not required when lifting the screen unit upward against the weight of the screen unit. [0054]
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. [0055]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for positioning the screen of a monitor by a user, comprising:

a swiveling unit including a lower bracket provided on an upper end portion of a monitor supporting column for adjusting a turning angle of the screen, and a swiveling shaft axially coupled with the lower bracket for turning around; and

a tilting unit including a pair of tilting angle adjusting plates fixed on an upper end portion of the swiveling shaft for tilting the screen, a tilting shaft inserted between the tilting angle adjusting plates for moving the screen in a vertical direction, and upper brackets locked with a rear surface of the monitor for housing both ends of the tilting shaft and movable in a vertical direction centering around the tilting shaft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pair of coil springs are inserted to left and right sides of the tilting shaft so that the upper brackets can perform a restoring force to rotate upward by receiving support of the lower bracket and the tilting angle adjusting plates at respective end portions thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a first holder groove is formed on the upper brackets for supporting external end portions of the coil springs, and a second holder groove is formed on the tilting angle adjusting plates for supporting internal end portions of the coil springs.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an angle adjusting plate having a turning angle limiting stopper groove on a peripheral surface thereof is provided on an upper portion of the lower bracket for determining rotational limit of the swiveling shaft by being fixed onto the swiveling shaft.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a tilting angle limiting stopper is provided on one upper bracket, which is fixed onto the screen unit, for determining the limit of a tilting angle of the monitor, and tilting angle limiting stopper grooves are formed on upper end portions of the tilting angle adjusting plates for guiding the tilting angle limiting stopper.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein screw units are formed on both end portions of the tilting shaft, which is inserted to the upper brackets and the tilting angle adjusting plates, for locking a washer and a nut therewith, respectively.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an upper protrusion of an oval shape is formed on an upper end portion of the swiveling shaft so as to be inserted to the tilting angle adjusting plates, and an upper protrusion inserting groove is formed on one tilting angle adjusting plate so that the tilting angle adjusting plates and the swiveling shaft can rotate together.